What's the best way to go about cleaning my guitar?

  • Thread starter Thread starter elenore19
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elenore19

elenore19

Slowing becoming un-noob.
So I've had this guitar for about 2 or 3 years now and I've done some "dusting on it" but is there something that I should do more regularily to help keep it in good shape?

I have an esp f-100fm...I've customized it to my liking, and I love the guitar.

I'm wondering what the best thing to do would be to keep my guitar in great condition.

About every other time I replace my strings, so about every two months or so (very rough estimate), I take some paper towels and some window cleaner and I basically just polish my whole guitar dabbing just a little windex type stuff onto the paper towel and using that.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks!
 
isn't windowcleaner for windows? :p
use some lint free cloths, and a water based wood polish...preferably something non toxic....
you can also wax the body
but i wouldn't recommend waxing the fretboard...
give your frets a serious clean each time you change strings...
best of luck
 
A touch of lemon oil on the fretboard is a good idea. I do that a few times a year.
 
amarach said:
isn't windowcleaner for windows? :p
use some lint free cloths, and a water based wood polish...preferably something non toxic....
you can also wax the body
but i wouldn't recommend waxing the fretboard...
give your frets a serious clean each time you change strings...
best of luck
Click to expand...
Valley Arts Kid said:
A touch of lemon oil on the fretboard is a good idea. I do that a few times a year.
Click to expand...
Thanks to both of you, I'll try finding some wood polish, and then try the lemon oil. Thanks!
 
if it's a maple fretboard (pardon my ig'nance of esp's), don't use lemon oil on it......but if it's ebony or rosewood, have at it. on a maple board, just use a clean, lint-free cloth.

what i do on my rosewood fretboards is take a little lemon oil (linseed oil works too) and put it on some 0000 steel wool (pronounced "four ought"), and run it up and down the length of the fretboard. this will get all of the grime and gunk off the board and will polish up your frets. it also helps get some of the minor string-created grooves out of the frets too. then take some 1600 (or 2000) grit sandpaper (very fine--you can find it at autoshops) and use that to get the marks left by the steel wool out of the frets. this will restore them to a nice, smooth feel and brilliant shine.

you don't need to do this very often--i do it twice a year, in the spring and fall.

for the body of the guitar, i just keep em wiped down with a clean, lint-free cloth. seems to do just fine.


cheers,
wade
 
On my acoustic, I use some Martin guitar cleaner/polish for the body, back of the neck, headstock, etc. Then every now & then (if there's a bunch of grime/dirt built up on the fingerboard), I'll use some Dunlop Lemon Oil.

On my electric, I'll use the Dunlop guitar cleaner that came with the package. And lemon oil on the fretboard if it needs it.

I never use any kind of string cleaner on the strings, that will just make them go dead a lot quicker from my experience. I just quickly wipe them down with a cloth.
 
danny.guitar said:
On my acoustic, I use some Martin guitar cleaner/polish for the body, back of the neck, headstock, etc. Then every now & then (if there's a bunch of grime/dirt built up on the fingerboard)
Click to expand...

I like that Martin spray too.
 
Any good quality guitar polish (NO SILICON!) will work fine. Just use a soft, dry, lint free cloth, and go at it. It may take some elbow grease, but that's what you get for taking so long.

My favorite polishes are the GHS stuff for more heavy duty cleaning, and once it is clean, use some Powerchord (it's made by a small company, but any store here in the US should be able to get it no problem - it's sold by one of the really big distributors called Harris-Teller). The Powerchord is really great stuff, as it leaves a "film" (don't worry, it gets removed and replaced every time you use the stuff) that helps keep the guitar clean and prevents fingerprints. It's really killer stuff, and I highly recommend it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I've been using those micro fiber cloths for wiping lately, they work really well for removing dust and fingerprints from the finished parts (body, back of neck, head, and metal parts.) For getting at the dust under the bridge and under the strings on the head, one of those soft brushes (mostly used for dusting computer keyboards) works great. If you don't want to use steel wool on the fingerboard, the nylon scrubbing pads (for cleaning nonstick cookware) works just about as well, and you wont have to worry about the little wire fibers getting into the pups. Avoid all solvents or cleaning products which contain petroleum distilates, they can damage the finish and stay away from anything which contains silicone. Keep the guitar in a good case when it's not in use.
 
Just use regular old "Pledge" ...used it for years and works like a charm...just use a soft cloth with it....
 
Dont forget to get some OOOO grade steel wool and shine dem frets up!
 
elenore19 said:
So I've had this guitar for about 2 or 3 years now and I've done some "dusting on it" but is there something that I should do more regularily to help keep it in good shape?

I have an esp f-100fm...I've customized it to my liking, and I love the guitar.

I'm wondering what the best thing to do would be to keep my guitar in great condition.

About every other time I replace my strings, so about every two months or so (very rough estimate), I take some paper towels and some window cleaner and I basically just polish my whole guitar dabbing just a little windex type stuff onto the paper towel and using that.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks!
Click to expand...

I ran a detail shop for years and I can tell you paper towels are like using super fine sand paper on your guitar :eek:

Do a search for "Plexus" Plastic cleaner. You'll get alot of auto websites. It can also be found in some music stores. It and a terry cloth is the best stuff I have found by far. I usually spray it in a few spots on the body and rub it where it needs to go, rather than spraying down my pickups and stuff.

It cleans sweat, beer and leaves you with a great anti-static shine.

For just dusting up on the headstock I use a super soft paint brush to get under the strings.

F.S.
 
TMatt142 said:
Just use regular old "Pledge" ...used it for years and works like a charm...just use a soft cloth with it....
Click to expand...

NEVER use pledge or any other furniture polish on guitars. They almost always have silicon in them, which is a VERY BAD THING for guitar finishes (most high end furniture finishes too, for that matter, but most people don't care too much about that). Silicon makes it all but impossible to do any future finish work on the guitar, and can even lead to adhesion issues with the existing finish. Just don't do it!


Freudian Slip said:
Do a search for "Plexus" Plastic cleaner. You'll get alot of auto websites. It can also be found in some music stores. It and a terry cloth is the best stuff I have found by far. I usually spray it in a few spots on the body and rub it where it needs to go, rather than spraying down my pickups and stuff.
Click to expand...


I can't tell from their website, but it sure looks like that stuff probably has silicon in it.

Avoid any product which is not explicit in stating it does NOT contain silicon. Most guitar polishes are good, and all of the major brands are fine (Martin, Gibson, Fender, Kyser, GHS, D'Addario, etc.).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
I can't tell from their website, but it sure looks like that stuff probably has silicon in it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

Well I've worked with alot of silicon, It does not smell feel or act like has silicon in it, but I could not swear to it. Unlike most furniture polish etc., it does not leave an oily residue.

I'll have to check into it. I've been using it for years with no issues.

*** just found it. It does contain silicon *** Must not be alot.

Well I'm sticking with it. If I ever refinish it will be to the wood;)

You a body man or painter Light?

F.S.
 
Freudian Slip said:
Well I'm sticking with it. If I ever refinish it will be to the wood;)

You a body man or painter Light?

F.S.
Click to expand...


Silicon will go right down to the wood, and it doesn't matter how much you sand, scrap, or strip, it will cause problems. There is no sure fire way to deal with it, though a coat of thin shellac frequently helps.

I build guitars, and my families shop is one of the biggest repair shops in the country.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
Silicon will go right down to the wood, and it doesn't matter how much you sand, scrap, or strip, it will cause problems. There is no sure fire way to deal with it, though a coat of thin shellac frequently helps.

I build guitars, and my families shop is one of the biggest repair shops in the country.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

ahh. In automotive all most all cars have been slathered in the stuff and it is still seldome a problem with proper prep, They always get to use primer and any number of solvents though :D Don't see many wood grain cars running round out there. There's also some stuff called smoothies (I think). Most guys won't use it because it contaminates your gun. Once you start using it you're stuck. And it cimes with it's own set of problems :rolleyes:

Well next decent guitar I get I will get away from this stuff. To lat for my current one;)

Thanks for the info.

F.S.
 
I like lemon oil.

Lighter fluid is good for stubborn stuff, like fingerboard grit. Followed by lemon oil.

But be careful with anything you put on your gtr.

I agree that silicone is bad news.
 
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